How to Do Corners on Swedish Weaving

Use yarn and needle to create designs and corners in Swedish weaving.

Swedish weaving -- also called Huck darning and Huck embroidery -- combines darning, embroidery and weaving to create decorative edges for pillows, towels, blankets, tablecloths, place mats, aprons, tote bags and even Christmas tree skirts. While some designs are straightforward -- and literally straight -- others require you to create a corner with the weaving and the yarn. Because Swedish weaving is primarily a decorative weaving, the yarn used to create the weaving designs should not show from the back of the cloth.

Things You'll Need

• Monk's cloth
• #13 yarn needle
• Safety pins
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Mark the center of the cloth and the starting points of the weaving design with safety pins. Thread the needle with the yarn and place the needle in the center of the fabric at the starting point. Slide the needle under the center vertical float as indicated by the pattern, but don't push it completely through the fabric. The "float" is each four-strand group of vertical threads on the fabric.

2. Pull half of the yarn through the first float and move the other half to the other side of the float. Work the Swedish weaving as indicated by the pattern.

3. Pull the needle and yarn gently through a vertical float as you get to a point where you have to create a corner with the weaving.

4. Move the needle up five rows and carefully slide it under one vertical float, over the next vertical float and under the third vertical float. Gently pull the yarn through the floats.

5. Bring the needle five rows down. Slide it under the fifth float down from the float you just used in the upper row.

6. Continue with this pattern -- weave into two floats, then move up five rows and weave into two floats, then move back down until you reach the edge of the Monk's cloth. Take the needle off the yarn and turn the cloth and the pattern. Re-thread the needle with the opposite end of yarn and work this pattern from the center to the opposite edge of the cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Fold the fabric lengthwise, then width wise to find the fabric's center, as well as the center float.

• Always work from the center of the cloth out to one edge. Then, after you have woven that side, thread the opposite end of yarn and weave the opposite edge, working from the center.

References

• Karens Variety: How To, Swedish Weaving, Huck Embroidery
• Avery Hill: FAQ and Instructions